T&T: Manatee County Tax Increase

[Bob Austin]

Every county in Florida has the option of charging 50% more than the state
registration fee.  That county keeps all but one dollar of that increase. A
portion of your registration goes back to your county--and this increase
almost doubles that. This is a local option--you probably have a marine
resource committee.  If you don't, you need one.  I was chair of our county's
Marine Resource committee and was sure that we did not have an increase in
boat taxation while I served.

You need to get involved and find out where your fees are going.  We put in
more lanuching ramps, put out artificial reefs, helped to obtain the Oriskany
as a artificial reef, put on public education.  Promoted clean marinas and
boat yards. etc.  We also hired a full time Marine Resource officer who
represented the boating interests to the country and board of commissioners.

For Manatee Country see: http://taxcollector.com/pdf/VesselFeeComplaint.pdf

Also see: http://nsgl.gso.uri.edu/flsgp/flsgpw04002.pdf  I'll bet some of your
tax dollar went to fund this grant--and probably a lot more.  Anything that
the state or country does costs money--and guess who pays for it!

Again--get involved!

Bob Austin